Contentment
“I got all red….again!”
Whenever we visit our grandchildren, my husband arrives loaded with special treats. They vary from peanuts to chocolate bars to pistachio nuts, but the one constant is Fruit Gushers. They would all be disappointed if he didn’t include those.
Last time we visited he brought the boxes with a variety of different fruit flavors and colors. The first time he doled them out, our youngest granddaughter got a little bag filled with red gushers. She was a bit disappointed but cheered up when we pointed out that next time she might get something different. However, next time she got a little bag full of red ones…again. She was more than a little disappointed. She stood holding the unsatisfying treat and voiced her unhappiness.
Her Mommy was quick to point out that she should be thankful that she had such a nice treat. (A little confession here: Grandma was all set to give her a different bag, but it’s just a grandma-thing.) She was trying to teach her little daughter a lesson in contentment. It is one I need to learn too.
In his Bible study book, “Lord, Change My Attitude,” James MacDonald defines contentment as “Satisfaction in God’s sufficient provision…to rest in what you have and to seek nothing more.” He points out that it is not a sort of shoulder slouching resignation to not having what I really want. Rather it is a knowing that in God I have everything I need. It is being content with what He has given me and not feeling resentment over the things I don’t have.
It applies to so many areas of my life – material things, the talents He has given me, the plan He has for my life. Instead of looking around at all the things I wish I had, or all the people I wish I was like, or all the things I wish I could do – it is looking to Him with gratitude for all He has given me. He never plays favorites. He loves each of us with unconditional, unfailing love. He is a perfect Father, and He does not want to deny us any good thing. He pours into our lives those things He knows are best for us, and He asks that we be contented and grateful.
“Contentment is actually about wanting more – more of Christ and less of everything else. It’s not to roll over and sigh with resignation to be satisfied with your lot in life, but it is to sense in your spirit all that you have in your salvation and relationship with Christ and to want more of that. A holy contentment is to want less of yourself and more of Him – more of His life in you and all the peace and passion and exhilaration of being swept up into His plans and purposes and activities in this world. This is the life abundant that He promises to those who are found in Him and draw their joy and satisfaction from an ever-deepening relationship with Him (John 10:10)
James MacDonald “Lord, Change My Attitude”
Blessings,
Linda
I have to confess that there are too many times that I too need an attitude adjustment as well. Great reminder. Thank you for this timely devotion.
Blessings..
This is such an encouragement to me today and a message I sincerely needed to hear. Thank you Linda. You always have something valuable to say.
That quote reminds me of something CS Lewis said about our problem being we don’t want *enough*…more Christ, more love, more of His precious Spirit.
May we be content with earthly things, and recklessly passionate for more of God.
(I’m so glad for grandmas, Linda…everyone needs someone to give them the right bag of candy. 🙂
Thanks for sharing such a heartwarming message,
Linda. I want more of Christ and less of this
world.
Such an encouraging reminder here today, thank you.
Lol! I would have been tempted to do the grandmom thing too! So glad she has a good mommy to teach her, and you are so right that it’s a lesson we all need to learn. It’s not easy at times to be content!
Oh, Linda, how often do I look at what others have and my shoulders drop because I don’t have things. It is so true, it is all about the attitude. May I be content with what I have…
Thank you for the reminder that our Father is all I need.
Great thought for today Linda.
Thanks for sharing.